Lifetime has announced that they’re sticking with Brooke Elliott and company, renewing Drop Dead Diva for a fourth season. They’re bringing the show back for another 13 episodes sometime next year. The cable channel hasn’t indicated exactly when they’ll start airing but the other seasons have debuted in either June or July.

Here’s the press release from Lifetime:

LIFETIME’S HIT COMEDIC DRAMA SERIES “DROP DEAD DIVA” RENEWED FOR FOURTH SEASON

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 22, 2011) – Lifetime has renewed its hit scripted series Drop Dead Diva for a fourth season, to premiere in 2012, with a 13 episode order. The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.

Regarding the announcement, Dubuc said, “Drop Dead Diva is a signature series for Lifetime that continues to resonate with audiences with its heart and humor. We are thrilled to bring it back for another season.”

Nominated for a 2011 Humanitas Prize(TM), Drop Dead Diva tells the story of a shallow, aspiring model who dies in a sudden accident, only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney (Brooke Elliott, Wicked, Taboo). The program’s season three finale will air this Sunday, September 25, at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Drop Dead Diva also stars Margaret Cho (Dancing with the Stars, Notorious C.H.O.), Jackson Hurst (Living Proof), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man). Guest stars who have appeared in Drop Dead Diva during its third season include Paula Abdul, LeAnn Rimes, Mario Lopez, Brandy, Kathy Griffin, Wanda Sykes, Wendy Williams, Clay Aiken, Lance Bass, Tony Goldwyn, Valerie Harper, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Sharon Lawrence, Faith Prince, Jennifer Tilly, Louis Van Amstel, Quintin Aaron, Jonathan Schaech, Patty Stanger and many more.

Season-to-date, Drop Dead Diva has averaged 2.3 million Total Viewers, 1.2 million Adults 25-54, 973,000 Adults 18-49, 903,000 Women 25-54 and 752,000 Women 18-49. Season to-date, Drop Dead Diva is the number one program in the Sunday, 9:00pm, time period among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 versus all basic cable networks. The show’s June 19th season three premiere became its most watched season premiere in Adults 25-54, Adults 18-49, Women 25-54 and Women 18-49, as well as the series’ second most-watched telecast ever among Adults 25-54, Adults 18-49 and Women 25-54.

Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer of Drop Dead Diva, which is also executive produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award?-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime’s Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment and Alex Taub (Eli Stone).

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry’s leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry’s largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT is a leader in local language productions around the world, some of which are co-produced with local partners and sells SPE-owned formats in approximately 70 countries. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT’s worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in SPE’s long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 122 channel feeds, which are available in more than 140 countries reaching almost 438 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE’s premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT is a part owner of cable channel GSN, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT’s syndicated series as well as in all of SPE’s digital businesses in the United States, for Sony Music Entertainment and for the Tennis Channel. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

ABOUT LIFETIME
Lifetime Television is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television(R), Lifetime Movie Network(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.

What do you think? Are you glad to hear the TV show’s been renewed? How long do you think it should continue?

Image courtesy Lifetime.